Chapter 39
Aria's POV
After leaving the track, I couldn’t shake the weight of Liam’s question.
Do you regret how things ended between us?
The words echoed in my mind, pulling at something I wasn’t ready to confront. I’d walked away, leaving him standing there, but the truth was, I didn’t have an answer.
At least, not one I wanted to admit.
The next morning at the office, I tried to focus on the upcoming race. Meetings filled my schedule, but my mind wasn’t in it.
Sitting around the conference table, I found myself stealing glances at Liam. He was sitting across from me, his usual composed self, but something was off.
He seemed more on edge than usual, his jaw tight, his fingers tapping absentmindedly against the table as someone else spoke.
Jackson, sitting beside me, noticed my distraction. “Aria, you good?” he whispered under his breath as the meeting continued around us.
I straightened in my seat, feigning interest in the discussion. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
But Jackson wasn’t convinced. He glanced over at Liam, then back at me, raising an eyebrow. “You sure? ‘Cause the tension between you two could cut through steel.”
I shot him a warning look, but he only shrugged, his expression softening. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but you should probably fix it before it gets worse.”
His words stung. I knew he was right, but I wasn’t ready to face it. Not yet.
Later that afternoon, I found myself wandering the paddock, aimlessly scrolling through my phone. I didn’t have the energy to deal with anyone, least of all Liam.
But as if the universe had a cruel sense of humor, Logan appeared out of nowhere, his usual cocky smirk firmly in place.
“Aria,” he greeted, his tone casual, though there was always something sharp beneath the surface. “You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”
I frowned, not in the mood for whatever game he was playing today. “What do you want, Logan?”
He laughed, leaning against the wall. “Relax, I’m just making conversation.”
I rolled my eyes and started to walk away, but he called after me, his voice laced with something darker.
“You know, it’s funny... when I first went after you, it was just to mess with Liam.”
I froze, my heart skipping a beat. Slowly, I turned to face him, the air between us thickening with tension. “What did you just say?”
Logan’s smirk faltered slightly, but he didn’t back down.
“You heard me. It started as a ploy, just to get under his skin. But... things changed.”
I could feel my pulse racing, a cold anger settling in my chest. “So all this time, you were just playing games?”
He shifted uncomfortably, but his arrogance remained intact.
“Look, Aria, my feelings for you became real. But yeah, it was originally about Liam. That rivalry between us runs deep.”
I stared at him, my mind racing. The sting of betrayal cut deeper than I expected. I’d trusted Logan, or at least I thought I had.
And now, it felt like I’d been nothing more than a pawn in some twisted game between him and Liam.
“You’re unbelievable,” I snapped, my voice shaking with anger. “You used me.”
“Come on, Aria, it’s not like that anymore,” he said, his tone softening as he stepped toward me. “I care about you. I—”
“Save it,” I cut him off, stepping back. “I’m done with your games, Logan.”
Without waiting for his response, I turned on my heel and walked away, the sound of my footsteps echoing in the quiet corridor.
My head was spinning. First Liam, now Logan. I didn’t know who to trust anymore.
That evening, I met up with Isabella. She’d suggested drinks and dancing, something to take my mind off things.
And for a while, it worked.
The music, the lights, the crowd—it all blurred together in a haze that dulled the edge of my frustration. Isabella had always been good at pulling me out of my own head, her carefree attitude a welcome distraction.
“So,” she said as we clinked glasses, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “You gonna tell me what’s really going on with you and Liam, or are we just going to pretend everything’s fine?”
I groaned, leaning back in my chair. “It’s complicated.”
“Isn’t it always?” She took a sip of her drink, watching me closely. “Come on, Aria. Spill.”
With a sigh, I told her everything. About the missing divorce papers, about Logan’s confession, about the confrontation with Liam at the track.
It all spilled out, a tangled mess of guilt and confusion.
Isabella listened intently, nodding along as I vented. When I finally finished, she set her drink down and leaned forward.
“Look, I’m gonna be straight with you. You need to apologize to Liam.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “Apologize? For what?”
“For being a jerk,” she said bluntly. “You threw away those papers, you’ve been dodging him for weeks, and now you’re stuck in this mess with Logan. You gotta own up to your part in this, Aria.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but stopped. She was right. As much as I hated to admit it, I’d been avoiding responsibility for my actions. And now, it was all catching up to me.
“I hate it when you’re right,” I muttered.
Isabella laughed, raising her glass. “I know. But that’s why you keep me around.”
As the night wore on, the drinks kept coming, and before I knew it, I’d lost track of Isabella in the crowd.
The bar was packed, the music loud, and the lights disorienting. I stumbled my way outside, the cool night air hitting me like a slap to the face.
I barely made it a few steps before I heard voices behind me. A group of guys, lingering by the bar entrance, their eyes following me as I walked past.
“Hey, sweetheart,” one of them called out, his tone mocking. “Where you headed in such a hurry?”
I ignored him, picking up my pace. But they didn’t let up.
“Come on, don’t be like that,” another one chimed in, stepping closer. “We’re just trying to be friendly.”
Panic surged in my chest as they closed in, their laughter echoing in the dark alley. I glanced around, my heart racing. I was alone, and they knew it.
Just as I was about to turn and make a run for it, headlights flashed at the end of the street. A car pulled up, and relief flooded through me when I saw who it was.
Liam.
He got out of the car, his expression hard as he approached the group. “Is there a problem here?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
The men exchanged glances before backing off, muttering under their breath. “No problem, man. We were just leaving.”
They disappeared into the night, and I let out a shaky breath. Liam turned to me, his eyes searching mine.
“Get in the car,” he said quietly.
I didn’t argue. The drive back was tense and silent, the weight of everything that had happened hanging between us. But for the first time in weeks, I felt... safe.
As we pulled up outside my place, I hesitated before getting out. “Liam... thank you. For tonight.”
He didn’t respond right away, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. “We need to talk. Tomorrow.”
I nodded, my stomach twisting with nerves. I knew what I had to do. Tomorrow, I’d set the record straight with Liam. No more running. No more hiding.
It was time to face the truth.
